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Welcome in Double D the Daily Heraldi and Darnel Dixon.
What's up, double D.
Speaker 2: Well. I am currently sitting on my back porch in
this seventy plus degree weather and doing a live or
with you, and it's fun. It's good. I got what
little work to do to clean it all up, but
it's looking good so far.
Speaker 1: It's we feel blessed hashtag too blessed to be stressed.
Speaker 2: There you go, love it?
Speaker 1: Man, Hey, what have you been working on over the day?
Speaker 2: They heard?
Speaker 1: What have you been publishing? What have you been talking
about on your platform over the last twenty four to
forty eight hours.
Speaker 2: Yeah, mainly obviously b YU men's basketball, and I think
mission accomplished at the Big twelve tournament, had a couple
of wins, showed well against Houston, showed some progress and
coming up with an identity for this team without Richie Saunders,
which was a problem a few weeks ago. I think
that they did what they needed to do and as
they prepare now and rest up and recharge for the
NCAA tournament, I think they're in a decent position. Love that.
Speaker 1: Yeah, they hit quota, right, mission accomplished. You said they
hit quota for the Big twelve tournament. Now, what is
quota for the NCAA tournament.
Speaker 2: Yeah. All we know about the NCAA tournament is it's
about matchups. Sometimes you have a good matchup, sometimes you
don't have a good matchup. And as probably the number
six seed, you're going to play an eleven which could
be from a power conference, that could be a good
team from mid major. You just never know. Excuse me.
Last last year, you know it was from a mid major,
and the year before that was a mid major. So
you know, it looks like they're maybe going to pick
up that kind of situation because they are competing on
both sides of the ball now very well. I could
see them getting out of the first weekend two weeks ago.
I wouldn't have said that. I would have said they're
they're mayby, maybe they're one and done. Maybe they win
one and lose the second. But I just didn't see
how they were going to get out of that first weekend.
Now with some of the changes they've made the defense,
simplifying things and bringing in some energy with with you know,
guys like I mean Boop and guys like Calexi on
offense and Dominique Umandi on defense. They're they're providing a
little bit more hope that this this team can get
themselves out of that first weekend back to the Sweet sixteen.
Speaker 1: Yeah, it's uh. I mean I feel like like a
month ago, a little after a little more than a
month ago, like before Ritchie's injury, Like we kept on
hearing how they they found their identity, Like, hey, we
feel like we found our identity. I was not buying it.
I was not buying it at that time. Now they're
saying we found our identity. I'm buying it, right, That's
how I feel. Are you buying it now?
Speaker 2: Well more than then? And you know, one of the
things that Kevin Young's talked about is, you know some
of the dark times that they've gone through. And I
think the darkest time was three and a half minutes
in the second half against UCF at home, thirty six points.
I was like, where in the world does this team
think they're doing? How can they possibly be this bad?
It didn't make sense. They've been able to recover from that,
and so now I'm buying it a little bit more
than I was previously. I think that again, they've found
some things that work defensively. They're getting that effort on
both sides of the ball, and that will get you
a long way. And they're you know, they're not going
to play a big twelve team in the first two
rounds of the NCAA tournament. And that's a good thing
because it's a grind and teams know you really well,
and the way the game's officiated is unique, and so
it's a nice break for all teams, but for BYU
particularly to match up against somebody else.
Speaker 1: Double d Darnell Dixon here on your Utah ESPN Radio
Network talking to Cougar Beat and some Cougar basketball. What's
been most impressive to you over the last maybe three
or four games from BYU basketball. What's stood out to
you specifically that makes you out the mystic more optimistic
than you were.
Speaker 2: Well, one of the things that has stood out is
I think AJ has gotten better over this last couple
of weeks and Rob's gotten better. They had to get
because of without Richie. They had to take more of
the offense on them. But I think AJ is rebounding
a little better. I think Rob is is kind of
focusing a little bit more on the defensive end. It's
tough for him because he's he's six to one and
he's scaredy, but he's often guarding guys three or four
inches taller than he is, and that makes it difficult.
And there were times when he was I think, really
lost defensively where he wasn't really putting in the effort.
But I think he is now, So that gives me
a little bit of optimism. And again the guys I
mentioned Alexi COASTI is he can shoot the ball, and
you know, he had a bad game in this in
the second round game against West Virginia went oh for six.
He came back in the next game and he hit
some some some some good shots, and he had a
little bit of problem with turnovers. He's a young player
or have some of those ups and downs, but I
think he's provided a spark offensively. And Dominic Diamande, I mean,
we've heard about him being a great athlete. There was
a time when he was projected as a lottery pick,
and so you know he's had to learn some things
at BYU's and BYUS level and and since level. But
he's been playing really well and staying within his game,
and until yesterday, Kennard Davis Junior had put last three games.
Before yesterday, he'd been averaging seventeen a game, and coming
up with a third option offensively is kind of a
muss for BYU since Richie is gone. So those are
the reasons why I think they found some things. And
Kevin Young has talked about how basically three different versions
of this team that he's coached. There was the team
that he thought he had and he had a couple injuries,
and then the team that with Richie and Richie got hurt,
and so that's, you know, a lot to take in
if you're a coach on that staff, having to change
things up so dramatically three different times in the season.
But I think they've found something and they're confident, and
that's another big part of it is they're confident going
in to the NCAAM.
Speaker 1: Darnell Dixon, The Daily, Heraldi and Double D here on
your Utah ESPN Radio Network talking some BYU basketball. Camp
Killani's well underway as well. Two weeks in, plenty of
storylines to peruse and discuss. Where do you stand with
the Camp Killani stories coming out thus far?
Speaker 2: Well? One of the things that stood out to me
is these guys understand the assignment. They know that they
need to win the Big Twelve Championship and they need
to get to the playoffs, and I think they believe
they can even with the changes they're going to have
to make because of guys who have moved on and
graduated and whatnot. They are going to hold themselves to
a high standard. And that's great if you're a BYU
saan that you want that team believing that they are
good enough to get there. They were good enough to
get to the playoffs last year, but as we've found out,
there's still plenty of prejudice against BUYU and their schedule
and their style of play or whatever it happens to be.
And so you know, maybe maybe they can lose one
game next year and get to the playoffs, but they
certainly can't lose two, because we found out this year
that's not possible if you're BYU. It's possible with your
other teams, just not BYU. So they have some hills
to climb, but they are certainly capable of putting forth
the season and gives them an opportunity to meet their goals.
And you can see that work taking place. I love
what Kelly the Thing is doing. I think his energy
is really going to invigorate that defense and maybe take
it to another level. That would be great because we
know what a great job Jay Hill did and with
with Kelly doing his thing, the Kpop Demon Hunters should
be pretty good.
Speaker 1: This year, no doubt about it. Capeop the Demon Hunter
is uh trying to make this defense or maintain a
top twenty five defense, and it looks like he's on
track for it. The defense has looked good so far
during Camp Kolane. He's got a ton of talent that
returns in twenty twenty six, and so I'm very much
intrigued to see what happens with that defense going forward.
Darnell is, is this BYU football team built to obtain
to earn another double digit win season three consecutive seasons.
It hasn't happened in a long time where you get
double digit wins. Last time was in the two thousand
and six through two thousand and eight seasons.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's tough. I mean, this is not an easy
proposition for any team to continue to be excellent, and
playing in the Big twelve is ramp things up. You're
playing better teams each week, and you know they open
with U tah Tech with should be a win, but
then they jump right into the conference play with Arizona
and so it's a tough gig and they know that
getting Notre Dame in Profo is going to be a
lot of fun. I'm sure there'll be lots to talk
about that week. Is the Irish after about twenty years,
finally decide to show up in Provo. We'll see what
happens there. But they're putting the pieces together and that's
bringing back a starting quarterback is always the best place
to start, and they're doing that, and so a lot
of other good returners at positions, and they I feel
like they've filled with some holes with some transfers and
some new players. They didn't go overboard, though, And as
you look at the landscape of college football, you see
programs bringing in a lot of the different guys. There's
a couple of teams in the Big twelve that are
practically replacing their entire roster and that's going to be
really interesting to see what happens at places like Iowa State.
But by using a good spot, I think they have
enough retention with some good young talent coming in from
other places, and they're they're in a good position.
Speaker 1: Darnell is I know, we haven't talked a whole lot
of baseball. It is firing up now. They did get
their first win five to two of our Cincinnati And
we did discuss years ago, like when BYU got their
invite to the Big Twelve, which teams would struggle the
most in the Big Twelve, and we all concluded it
would be baseball. Is this the year that they kind
of get over the hump and start winning and they're
on the on the win side of the five hundred, right,
They're on that winning side of the ledger, if you will,
rather than being on the losing side in Big Twelve play.
Speaker 2: I don't think it's this year. I think they still
have a lot of work to do with the pitching.
They hired a new pitching coach this year to try
to facilitate some of that. I went to their first
home game they played cal Baptist, and in that three
game series, cal Baptists scored like thirty six runs, had
fifty hits and eight or nine home runs. Cal Baptists
from the whack and I was just kind of shocked
that it was that bad. Now, the opener against Cincinnati,
they got a good pitching performance and won that first game.
They're down four to nothing in the fourth today, So
I just don't think there's enough on that pitching staff
to allow them to get over the top in the
Big twelve and win more than they lose. I think
they're still going to be fortunate to hit about five
hundred conference play, which may or may not be enough
to get them to the playoffs, which you know, the
conference tournament, but they're still a ways off. They can
hit the ball, They've got guys they can hit the ball,
but it's always going to come down to pitching at
the BYU's version of the launching pad, and so far
this year the pitching has been better. They've lowered the
ERA from about seven or eight to about five or six,
so they're working in some good parameters. But I still
think there's plenty of work to do.
Speaker 1: You have work to be done, no doubt about it.
Darnell Dixon, the Daily Heraldian. We are getting into kind
of off season high school, you know, and some of
the recruiting that goes on during the off season, right
and you know, are there are there particular players right
now in the state for the twenty twenty seven class
that you're keeping an eye on during the recruiting process
to see where they're, how they're developing, where they're going
to be eventually committing, because we're getting to we're getting
closer to that time.
Speaker 2: Yeah, Ben, I'm kind of wrapped up in spring sports
right now. I haven't really given a whole lot of
thought to the class of twenty twenty seven yet. It's
you know, you Te's got a good reputation for having
good players, and they they definitely put, you know, some
good good guys on BYU system this year. There are
some good coaches out there, and I think that there's
still you know, the Nils trickling down a little bit
to this area, and there's guys that are transferring, and yeah,
we'll find that all out.
Speaker 1: But I still feel like, let me give you, let
me give you a few names, let me give you
a few names. I know you haven't been casting your
gaze at it, but like Body Sparrow, Caysville, very intrigued
by him, Ian Aloisio, Timfeud, these are all guys that
are being recruited by Byu. I think even you know
Jennal Guilford junior, I mean he was at Skyridge. I
don't know if he's going to be finishing his career
at Skyridge or if he's heading out to Michigan for
his final season. It'll be intrigued interesting. There another big
recruit that Jay Hill is targeting, Peyton Higginson at a
Salem Utah big safety athlete Diesel Dart at our corner
of canyon. There's some good football players locally in the
twenty twenty seven class that I'm intrigued to see where
they end up and how their recruitment goes.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm from heard of most of those guys that
you're talking about. Nobody really jumps out at me yet,
Like like we're in this class with Kennon Callaway from
Orum being one of those guys, and Lopetty Wulla who's
in spring camp right now. That guy's dominant. So I
don't see any bitter like that yet. But you know
this time of year when guys are in passing leagues
and going to camps and things like that, they start
to make some of that improvement and they start to
get some attention. So I think over the next few
months we're going to see quite a bit of that,
to see guys that are starting to make a name
for themselves nationally and starting to get recognized.
Speaker 1: Double D The Daily Heraldi and Darnell Best Way of Sports.
You what you do, how you do it. For all
of our listeners that love hearing from you, love reading you.
Speaker 2: It's good to be on the program. Then, Haroldexter dot
com is the place to go and and follow me
on x at.
Speaker 1: Darnell writes, boom, shuck a luck at Darnell.
Speaker 2: All.
Speaker 1: Yeah, be careful of your hot takes on baseball too.
We want you to get in trouble.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I don't want to get anybody mad at me.
Speaker 1: I Ever since that that reprimand, I've noticed you haven't
been as fiery on Twitter. I was that a deterrent
for the hot takes on on Twitter? Did you do
you step to take a step back?
Speaker 2: No, it was not. In fact, I was sparring with
a couple of Houston fans today. Really.
Speaker 1: Yes, Oh my goodness, Grace, I gotta get over. I
gotta go get over to your feed right now, Darnell writes,
and see you see the sparring. See this verbal jousting
from the Daily LA.
Speaker 2: You know they're they're they're upset or they're they're trying
to be superior about how b Way fans are complaining
about officiating and how I'm sure Houston would never complain
about officiating. You say, you know AJ got twenty three
throws like Kevin Jung said he should have. I'm sure
they would never mention that at all.
Speaker 1: Never never. Oh, this this one got this tweet. Actually
this drives coaches. Ray AJ has the rebound, Houston rakes
his arm, the balls loose, no call basket for Houston.
On the other n BA, he simply competes for a
rebound gets smacked with the foul. Consistency is the great
bane of officiating. Oh, I see what you did to hear?
Speaker 2: Oh yeah, that was great.
Speaker 1: That one didn't come across my feed. I'm ticked off
about it. And I didn't see this one.
Speaker 2: Well, you know, I don't. Maybe you're not following me.
Speaker 1: Ben i am oh I followed the Daily Heraldian. I
follow him. That one just didn't pop up across my feed.
I don't know why, but I'm ticked off about it.
That was really good. Look like how many free throws? Look?
Kay said that he should have been at the line
twenty times versus Houston agreer disagree.
Speaker 2: Well, here's the thing I was thinking about ben is
and and Kevin did mention too. One of the things
you do want to do against Houston is you want
to compete with the possessions. You wanted to be similar
in number of possessions, and that's hard to do with
Houston because number one, they are a great offensive rebounding team,
really really good. Last night, they were plus nine on
offensive rebounds, So that's nine extra possessions they got. Now,
they're not going to score on every one of those,
but their extra possession means you don't get the ball right.
So that's one reason. The second part of it is
the way the game is officiated in the Big twelve,
the way game last night was officiated. Houston benefits from
that because they are a physical, explosive, athletic defensive team,
and they're really good at being physical and not getting
kous called. Do I think aj should have twenty free throws? No,
maybe a twenty, Maybe he gets another four or five.
Maybe maybe Rob gets three or four more. All of
a sudden. You're talking about seven or eight more points
in a three point game with two minutes left. It
could make a difference. It definitely could. B Yu needs
to be better at not fouling and making it obvious,
I guess, but certainly Kevin Young was upset that a
few of those weren't called. And I would say that
that another thing about the NCAA tournament is hopefully be
what he doesn't get big twelve reps and then we'll
see if AJ get some of those calls. He wasn't
getting twenty three throws for maybe not fifteen. Yeah, I
think that definitely earned some of those.
Speaker 1: The Daily heraldy in himself love you appreciate chick, great
stuff as always, Double D. We'll catch up me again soon.
Speaker 2: Yeah, you too, have a great weekend.
Speaker 1: All right, buddy, there you go. That's double D Darnelle
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